The fasionably termed hypnosurgery
An article in the Times.
Papers (actually not that easy to find - the few there were, were in German):
Hypnosis for procedure-related pain and distress in pediatric cancer patients: a systematic review of effectiveness and methodology related to hypnosis interventions.
Perioperative use of medical hypnosis. Therapy options for anaesthetists and surgeons - something to use alongside conventional anaesthesia.
I think I'd prefer to stick to the conventional stuff for the time being.
In ye olde times (before the days of chemical anaesthesia), their idea of 'putting the patient to sleep' involved a)punching their lights out, b)getting the patient so drunk they lost consciousness, or c) get several big, strong men to hold the screaming, fighting patient down during the operation. Surgeon's were famed for how fast they could do surgery (read: amputate limbs) - e.g. the 'best' could finish the job in under minute. Patient post-op survival wasn't really expected to be that high, actually, it wasn't high at all. This was also the time before they thought having a new set of clothes and washing hands and equipment between patients was a good idea - therefore loads of infection
Hence, twas when chemical anaesthesia came along, that surgery in the guise we know it today, developed and flourished.
Hypnosurgery may have its place - but let's not get too excited too quickly.
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